Host-Parasite Interactions Program 1.91

An innovative grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) has been awarded to the Host-Parasite Interactions (HPI) group at University of Calgary, providing $1.6 million over six years (2012-2018). The funding has been provided under NSERC’s new Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Program.

The premise behind CREATE is to provide science graduates enhanced skills for careers in industry, government or academia. The NSERC CREATE HPI training program will develop an innovative, broad-based approach to provide leading-edge interdisciplinary and translational research training for graduate and post-doctoral trainees, as well as providing a foundation upon which to build transferable professional skills.

Specific to parasitology, this international collaborative training program will prepare research trainees to tackle global issues such as parasite control, drug resistance, ecosystem impacts, food and water safety and innovation technologies.

The NSERC CREATE HPI training program's goal is twofold:

1). To provide cutting-edge trainees with the ability and means to enter and be successful in the Canadian workforce in a range of capacities. 2). Consistent with Canada’s leadership in Parasitology, this program will train individuals who will become next generation leaders – bench research (academia or pharmaceutical-based), ecosystem management, education, advocacy, regulatory bodies – capable of recognizing and combating emerging Canadian and global problems and in so doing, keep Canada at the leading edge of innovation and agriculture management, the environment and public health well into the 21st century.